This invention relates to a two-stroke water-cooled internal combustion engine comprising two cylinders and intake and exhaust ports controlled by the pistons, the intake ports being positioned on either side of the exhaust ports which in turn are located on the front ends of the engine, and the intake ports being furthermore directed towards the side walls of the engine, and those areas of the cylinders which do not have any ports being situated next to each other in the center of the engine.